OFFENSE
B-
Welcome back, Rex Grossman. The once-defrocked quarterback ignited interest if not production, taking over when Brian Griese was hurt and completing a game-winning TD pass of 59 yards to Bernard Berrian. The QBs completed 17 of 28 for 239 yards and a TD against pressure. The Bears averaged only 2.3 yards per carry against a run defense allowing 5.1, but Cedric Benson managed to top off the day with a 3-yard TD run. Berrian (89 yards) and Muhsin Muhammad (87) had four catches each. The line allowed three sacks but generally protected well against severe blitz pressure.
DEFENSE
A
Defensive end Adewale Ogunleye made his own highlight reel with two sacks in the first half and one in the fourth quarter to force a fumble. Lance Briggs had a sack and was again a dominating playmaker. Hunter Hillenmeyer had eight tackles and a QB hit, and Brian Urlacher had eight stops. Danieal Manning finished the game with an interception, broke up a pass and delivered a crushing hit on Justin Fargas in one of his better games. Trumaine McBride, again starting with Nathan Vasher out, broke up two passes, recovered a fumble and is not playing like a rookie.
SPECIAL TEAMS
C-
Devin Hester’s imagination got the better of his judgment. He fielded a first-quarter kickoff 8 yards deep in the end zone and got only to the 11. He was decidedly pedestrian against a team more than willing to kick to him and nearly ran his way into a safety at the end of the half after fielding a punt at his 5. Robbie Gould accounted for the Bears’ only first-half points with a 32-yard field goal but was short from 53 yards in the third quarter. Kick coverage was excellent, allowing 27 net yards on eight punt returns, and punter Brad Maynard kept the Bears in a field-position duel.
COACHING
C
Credit offensive coordinator Ron Turner with sticking to a difficult game plan by running the ball 34 times and for dialing up Grossman’s practice time last week. Defensive coordinator Bob Babich, coaching from the box upstairs for the first time, oversaw adjustments to some new Oakland play designs. Special teams under Dave Toub swarmed on coverage to bottle up Oakland returner Tim Dwight in a game where field position might have favored the Raiders because of Sebastian Janikowski’s range. Keeping the Bears on task with the season on the line this and every week remains Lovie Smith’s big challenge.
